Methods and apparatus for a frame surrounding a wearable patch

Abstract

In some embodiments, a system includes a patch assembly and a frame. The patch assembly includes an adhesive portion. The patch assembly is configured to be coupled to a surface of a user via the adhesive portion. The patch assembly has a first patch configuration and a second patch configuration. The frame defines an opening. The patch assembly is configured to be disposed within the opening. The frame has a first frame configuration in which the frame is coupled to the patch assembly via a group of connectors such that the frame prevents the patch assembly from transitioning between the first patch configuration and the second patch configuration. The frame has a second frame configuration in which the group of connectors are broken and the frame is separated from the patch assembly.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a patch assembly including an adhesive portion, the patch assembly configured to be coupled to a surface of a user via the adhesive portion, the patch assembly having a first patch configuration and a second patch configuration; and   a frame defining an opening, the patch assembly configured to be disposed within the opening, the frame having a first frame configuration in which the frame is coupled to the patch assembly via a plurality of connectors such that the frame prevents the patch assembly from transitioning between the first patch configuration and the second patch configuration, the frame having a second frame configuration in which the plurality of connectors are broken and the frame is separated from the patch assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive portion is a first adhesive portion, the patch assembly including a first assembly including the first adhesive portion, a second assembly including a second adhesive portion, and a connecting member coupled to the first assembly and the second assembly, the connecting member configured to transition between a first configuration and a second configuration, the connecting member being in the first configuration when the patch assembly is in the first patch configuration and in the second configuration when the patch assembly is in the second patch configuration, a distance between the first end and the second end of the connecting member in the first configuration being a first distance, a distance between the first end and the second end of the connecting member in the second configuration being a second distance different from the first distance, the patch assembly configured to be disposed within the opening and coupled to the frame via the plurality of connectors in the first configuration, the patch assembly prevented from transitioning to the second configuration by the connection between the plurality of connectors and the frame. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the connecting member is biased toward the first configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the patch assembly includes a first assembly including a first electrode and a second assembly including a second electrode. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each connector from the plurality of connectors extends non-parallel to a longitudinal axis of the patch assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the frame is inelastic in a direction along a longitudinal axis of the patch assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each connector from the plurality of connectors is arranged such that each laterally-extending plane disposed perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the patch assembly includes either a single connector or no connector. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a protective layer removably coupled to a skin-facing surface of the patch assembly and non-removably coupled to a portion of a skin-facing surface of the frame. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each connector from the plurality of connectors includes a first end coupled to the frame and a second end coupled to the patch assembly, each connector tapering from the first end to the second end. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the shape of the opening defined by the frame corresponds to the shape of the patch assembly. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the connecting member includes a first segment coupled to a second segment via a flexible hinge, the first segment and the second segment arranged at a first angle when the connecting member is in the first configuration, the opening including a first opening portion configured to receive the first segment and a second opening portion configured to receive the second segment, the first opening portion disposed at a second angle relative to the second opening portion, the second angle being the same as the first angle. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the connecting member has a first sinusoidal shape having a first frequency in the first configuration and a second sinusoidal shape having a second frequency in the second configuration, the second frequency different from the first frequency, and the opening of the frame includes an opening portion having a sinusoidal shape having the first frequency. 
     
     
         13 . A system, comprising:
 a patch assembly including an adhesive portion configured to couple the patch assembly to a surface of a user;   a frame assembly defining an opening, the frame assembly including a top layer, an adhesive layer, and a liner layer, the adhesive layer disposed between the top layer and the liner layer, the patch assembly configured to be disposed within the opening and coupled to the frame assembly via a plurality of connectors extending between the frame assembly and the patch assembly, the frame assembly configured to be removed from the patch assembly by breaking each connector from the plurality of connectors in a sequential manner; and   a protective layer coupled to the adhesive portion and disposed in contact with a bottom surface of the liner layer.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the adhesive portion is a first adhesive portion, the patch assembly including a first subassembly including the first adhesive portion, a second subassembly including a second adhesive portion, and a connecting member coupled to the first subassembly and the second subassembly. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the connecting member includes a third adhesive portion, the third adhesive portion coupled to the protective layer. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first adhesive portion, the second adhesive portion, and the third adhesive portion are included in a continuous adhesive layer. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first adhesive portion, the second adhesive portion, the third adhesive portion, the adhesive layer of the frame assembly, and a portion of each connector of the plurality of connectors are included in a continuous adhesive layer. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the first subassembly includes a first electrode and the second subassembly includes a second electrode. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the protective layer has a first end and a second end and the frame assembly has a first end and a second end, the first end of the protective layer bonded to the first end of the frame assembly. 
     
     
         20 . A system, comprising:
 a patch assembly including an adhesive portion configured to couple the patch assembly to a surface of a user, the patch assembly having an outer perimeter;   a frame assembly defining an opening, the patch assembly configured to be disposed within the opening and coupled to the frame assembly via a plurality of connectors extending between the frame assembly and the outer perimeter of the patch assembly, a larger portion of the outer perimeter of the patch assembly being free from the plurality of connectors than a total portion of the outer perimeter of the patch being coupled to a connector from the plurality of connectors; and   a protective layer coupled to the adhesive portion and in direct contact with a bottom surface of the frame assembly.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the adhesive portion is a first adhesive portion, the patch assembly including a first subassembly including the first adhesive portion, a second subassembly including a second adhesive portion, and a connecting member coupled to the first subassembly and the second subassembly. 
     
     
         22 . A method, comprising:
 separating a portion of a protective layer from a bottom surface of a patch assembly such that the protective layer is decoupled from an adhesive portion of the patch assembly, the patch assembly disposed within an opening defined by a frame, the patch assembly coupled to the frame via a plurality of connectors extending between the frame and the patch assembly;   disposing the patch assembly and the frame on a surface of a user such that the adhesive portion couples the patch assembly to the surface; and   decoupling each of the connectors from the plurality of connectors such that the patch assembly remains coupled to the surface and the frame is removed from the surface.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the portion of the protective layer from the bottom surface of the patch assembly is separated such that the protective layer remains coupled to the frame. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the decoupling each of the connectors of the plurality of connectors includes pulling a first end of the frame toward a second end of the frame such that each connector from the plurality of connectors breaks in series. 
     
     
         25 . A system, comprising:
 (a) an electronic assembly having
 a first sub-electronic portion having a first bottom side on which a first electrode is disposed; 
 a second sub-electronic portion having a second bottom side on which a second electrode is disposed; and 
 a third sub-electronic portion connecting the first sub-electronic portion and the second sub-electronic portion, the third sub-electronic portion having a third bottom side on which a conductive trace is disposed; 
   (b) a bottom adhesive layer removably provided on the first bottom side, the second bottom side, and the third bottom side of the electronic assembly, the bottom adhesive layer having
 a first adhesive portion disposed on the first bottom side of the first sub-electronic portion, the first adhesive portion having a first opening such that the first electrode disposed on the first bottom side of the first sub-electronic portion is accessible through the first opening; 
 a second adhesive portion disposed on the second bottom side of the second sub-electronic portion, the second adhesive portion having a second opening such that the second electrode disposed on the second bottom side of the second sub-electronic portion is accessible through the second opening; and 
 a third adhesive portion disposed on the third bottom side of the third sub-electronic portion; 
   (c) a cover frame having
 a first frame portion disposed on a first upper side of the first sub-electronic portion; 
 a second frame portion disposed on a second upper side of the second sub-electronic portion; 
 a third frame portion disposed on a third upper side of the third sub-electronic portion; 
 a surrounding frame portion surrounding the first, second, and third frame portions to form a surrounding opening extending along a periphery of the electronic assembly; and 
 a plurality of connectors, each connector from the plurality of connectors configured to connect at least one of the first frame portion, the second frame portion, or the third frame portion to the surrounding frame portion, wherein the surrounding frame portion of the cover frame is configured to be separated from the first frame portion, the second frame portion, and the third frame portion by breaking each connector from the plurality of connectors. 
   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , further comprising
 (d) a protective layer removably disposed on a bottom side of the bottom adhesive layer.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein each of the third sub-electronic portion, the third adhesive portion, and the third frame portion extends sinusoidally. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the first sub-electronic portion includes electronic components, the electric components being electrically connected to the first electrode and also electrically connected through the conductive trace on the third sub-electronic portion. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the electronic components includes an integrated circuit. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the second sub-electronic portion includes an energy storage, the energy storage being electrically connected to the electronic components of the first sub-electronic portion via the conductive wire. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the system has a longitudinal axis along which the first sub-electronic portion and the second sub-electronic portion are positioned. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the each of the connectors from the plurality of connectors extends non-parallel to the longitudinal axis of the system. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein some of the connectors from the plurality of connectors extend perpendicularly and other connectors from the plurality of connectors extend at an angle that is neither parallel nor perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the system. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the connectors from the plurality of connectors are disposed asymmetrically relative to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the surrounding frame portion is separated from the first frame portion, the second frame portion, and the third frame portion of the cover frame by pulling a peripheral end of the surrounding frame portion in a direction along the longitudinal axis while the plurality of connectors are broken in series. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein each connector from the plurality of the connectors has a triangular shape that tapers from the surrounding frame portion to at least one of the first frame portion, the second frame portion, or the third frame portion. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the protective layer is non-removably fixed to a peripheral end portion of the surrounding frame portion of the cover frame. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein removing the protective layer from the bottom adhesive layer and then pulling the removed protective layer in a direction away from the peripheral end portion of the surrounding frame portion of the cover frame causes the plurality of connectors to be broken in series and, thereby, the surrounding portion of the cover frame to be separated from the first frame portion, the second frame portion, and the third frame portion of the cover frame. 
     
     
         39 . A system, comprising:
 (a) an electronic assembly having
 a first sub-electronic portion having a first bottom side on which a first electrode is disposed; 
 a second sub-electronic portion having a second bottom side on which a second electrode is disposed; and 
 a third sub-electronic portion connecting the first sub-electronic portion and the second sub-electronic portion, the third sub-electronic portion having a third bottom side on which a conductive trace is disposed; and 
   (b) a bottom adhesive layer removably provided on the first bottom side, the second bottom side, and the third bottom side of the electronic assembly, the bottom adhesive layer having
 a first adhesive portion disposed on the first bottom side of the first sub-electronic portion, the first adhesive portion having a first opening such that the first electrode disposed on the first bottom side of the first sub-electronic portion is accessible through the first opening; 
 a second adhesive portion disposed on the second bottom side of the second sub-electronic portion, the second adhesive portion having a second opening such that the second electrode disposed on the second bottom side of the second sub-electronic portion is accessible through the second opening; and 
   a third adhesive portion disposed on the third bottom side of the third sub-electronic portion, wherein the third adhesive portion is configured to extend along the third sub-electronic portion.   
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the third sub-electronic portion and the third adhesive portion extend sinusoidally.